According to scholars, computer activities are causing our brains to evolve and impacting traditional teaching methods in schools. The changes in the brain due to exposure to computers can affect how students’ attention is captured and maintained. In other words, traditional teaching styles may not be effective for minds that are focused on digital technology. The question arises whether digital technology truly enhances language, cognitive, or literacy skills.
The question being addressed is vast and complex, encompassing various areas that are equally extensive and intricate. However, solely focusing on skills related to traditional print culture can restrict the definition of progress and present challenges. In this examination, we will explore the positive and negative effects of incorporating digital technology in education. The fast advancements in information and communications technologies necessitate educational institutions to constantly reevaluate their teaching approaches, regardless of whether they are in physical or virtual “classroom” environments.
M-Learning, also referred to as Mobile Learning, is a variant of E-Learning that depends on mobile devices for accessing educational content. This type of learning allows individuals to acquire knowledge at any place and time. The expansion and progress in mobile technology have greatly influenced our daily habits and actions, freeing us from the constraints of desktop-based tasks. To enable M-Learning, these mobile devices must support wireless communication technologies and offer the ability to present educational materials. Additionally, they should empower learners and educators to participate in both asynchronous and synchronous communication.
The abundance of affordable mobile and wireless devices, as well as the supporting infrastructure, presents opportunities and challenges for educational institutions, searchers, and learners. Mobile learning offers great mobility, flexibility, and independence, allowing individuals to learn whenever and wherever they want within their own learning budget. It enables them to utilize unexpected periods of free time for learning without necessitating access to a computer or availability of learning materials.
In this modern era, the benefits of the digital age are easily appreciated. The convenience of accessing and obtaining information, especially through the internet, is worth considering. Saving time can be achieved by downloading journal articles and having books delivered directly to your office. Efficient searches for specific topics can be conducted as long as a reliable search engine is available. Google offers a variety of helpful snippets for individuals interested in typography and calligraphy.
Skilled keyboard users, especially those who grew up with computers, are able to type faster. This enhances efficiency when taking notes. Additionally, saving notes and assignments on a computer decreases the likelihood of losing them, especially if regular backups are made. Moreover, data stored on a computer can be easily manipulated into different formats, facilitating studying. Word processing programs allow written text to be converted into charts or pie graphs.
Students can save time on homework by copying and pasting important quotes or examples into essays. Additionally, using digital readers and other devices can help reduce the weight of backpacks by eliminating the need for heavy books and notebooks. This benefit is particularly appreciated by students who have been accustomed to carrying a lot of weight from a young age.
In today’s digital era, many students depend on online resources such as sending emails and posting assignments on personal websites. It has become almost essential to keep up with the times and possess a tool that offers internet access.
Nevertheless, there are downsides to this digital era. Some argue that children and teenagers spend excessive amounts of time participating in various social networking activities like texting, talking on cell phones, tweeting, beckoning, skipping, gaming, and chatting. The constant desire to share every detail of one’s life has been criticized as foolishness.
Furthermore, there may be a continuous flow of messages or tweets that people feel obligated to respond to, as well as a desire to receive these messages. Some individuals do not solely attribute the decrease in spelling or writing skills to the new technology. However, there is evidence indicating that the tech-savvy generation, who frequently engage in copying and pasting information, are rapidly piecing together unexamined fragments of information.
Initially, it seems that individuals have become less inclined to venture beyond the knowledge they acquire from Google or recognize its significance. The prevailing notion has shifted from “I learned everything I need to know in kindergarten” to “I can find all the information I require through Google.” This inclination towards instant and convenient access implies that this generation may lack the drive or willingness to cultivate essential skills such as critical thinking, reading comprehension, writing proficiency, and information evaluation. Berliner expresses apprehension about this trend potentially resulting in a perception of intellectual deficiency for this generation.
Both digital natives and immigrants are spending a considerable amount of time and effort on social networking sites, seeking ways to quickly gain knowledge and comprehension. However, some scholars believe that this type of knowledge and understanding is shallow and surface-level, leading to Alexander Pope metaphorically rolling in his grave. Berliner and others argue that numerous digital natives and immigrants show a lack of interest in profound reading and thoughtful, logical thinking.
The use of “bullet points” or “visual aids” along with eye-catching media has become the preferred method for presenting information. However, educators are increasingly concerned about the overuse of flashy elements in their teaching, as it leads to a lack of trust and comprehension of academic research and scientific concepts among their students. Undoubtedly, there has been a rise in both plagiarism and the ability to identify such unethical behavior.
Despite the existence of multiple authors and the postmodern idea that there is no author or text, it is possible that many students do not truly comprehend this concept within the context of hyper testing. We are merely minds interacting with information, without any distinction among different entities. Although plagiarism is associated with academic misconduct, the more concerning dangers include the inability to think independently and the lack of motivation or patience to fully understand intricate constructs.
Ernest Hemingway may have resisted using long, complicated passages of discourse or other prose, particularly those favored by Marcel Porous. However, this does not imply that Hemingway’s stories, even in a novella like The Old Man and the Sea, lack profound meanings. Simply copying and pasting cliff notes or similar documents to convey personal opinions or interpretations of fiction and nonfiction works appears to bypass the developmental journey towards Alexander Pope’s promised land.
Instead of utilizing the numerous opportunities and resources available on the Internet to become active, informed, and enlightened participants focused on efficient organization, travel, and serious discourse, we are allowing our narratives to become shallow and sensational. With the abundance of electronic gadgets, cheating has become easier for students nowadays.
College officials are now using various strategies to prevent cheating during exams. These strategies include disabling internet access on laptops, collecting cell phones before tests, and reverting to traditional pen and paper exams. The widespread use of mobile devices has led the higher education sector to consider the educational possibilities these tools offer.
Most of the learning activities occur on devices that are not specifically designed for education. Mobile learning has extensive uses and can deeply impact education. Over the next few years, there will be rapid growth in mobile learning, but the changes will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. With the introduction of smaller, more advanced gadgets, mobile learning capabilities will continue to expand. These devices can deliver data in various formats at any location and time.
The computing power of current mobile devices exceeds that of previous generation computers, and this trend will continue. These powerful devices can enhance the portability of education by coexisting with or replacing other technologies. To fully benefit from these advantages in higher education, we need strategies to effectively incorporate mobile devices into online and traditional classes. It is important to acknowledge the additional complexities that must be taken into account.
The text highlights the adverse effects of cyberbullying and sharing personal information on mental health, such as suicide. It also mentions cases of addiction, like excessive gaming, and recounts a troubling incident where a baby was neglected due to someone’s obsession with playing a video game. In conclusion, the author argues that while technology plays a role in these problems, it is not solely responsible for them.
So, do the advantages surpass the disadvantages? This remains a topic that we comprehend akin to the title. Undoubtedly, technology grants today’s young students access to an extraordinary world of learning and productivity. However, there are evident hazards and valid concerns concerning the utilization of these tools and determining their excessive use. It will likely take years before we truly comprehend the repercussions of these drawbacks and potential problems. Meanwhile, these tools are here to stay in the short term, so we must supervise their usage and educate students on utilizing them judiciously without excessive reliance.
